The PC movement has officially come off the rails...

[KD in CA]

Ugh... This generation of parents will be the downfall of our society.

 

I'd say it was the generation before; the ones who decided that everything under the sun was "offensive". Maybe they should have just STFU and let the kid do his little presentation and no one would have remembered it 20 minutes later.

[CosmicBills]

Next thing you know they won't be able to teach some classic American literature because the main character has a name like !@#$ Jim.

 

We are failing our children on so many levels.

 

Especially those we fail in the name of protecting them so much.

It's not the same thing. Not even the same sport.

 

I'd say it was the generation before; the ones who decided that everything under the sun was "offensive". Maybe they should have just STFU and let the kid do his little presentation and no one would have remembered it 20 minutes later.

[DrDawkinstein]

I'd say it was the generation before; the ones who decided that everything under the sun was "offensive". Maybe they should have just STFU and let the kid do his little presentation and no one would have remembered it 20 minutes later.

 

I partially agree, or at least agree with your general sentiment, even though I believe each generation of parents gets softer and softer. HOWEVER, allowing a child to dress in blackface, and not making them aware that a large amount of people will find it offensive, is doing a great disservice to the child.

 

A couple years ago, the school my friend teaches at was playing in a huge football game at the GA Dome. Since the school's colors are maroon and black, they called for a "blackout" in the stands (everyone wears black, for those that dont know). Well, a couple enthusiastic white kids showed up with their faces painted black as well. No malicious intent whatsoever. Most of the adults there kinda snickered, but let them go have their fun. UNTIL the game was over, and we saw the kids heading towards MARTA to go home. Every teacher and adult in the area ran over to them to stop them from getting on the train. Luckily for the kids, they were asked to wash off the face paint before getting on the train through downtown.

 

It wasnt made into a huge deal, but they needed to know that some people who didnt know there was a football game, might take offense, or even get angry about it. It wasnt in the name of being PC, just to protect the kids from getting themselves in a sticky situation unintentionally.

 

The same thing should have been done here by the parent. Instead of calling the news to tattle on their precious angel's feelings getting hurt.

Edited May 17, 2012 by DrDareustein

[shrader]

So the article says that they were assigned their historical figure. So doesn't the teacher have to take some of the blame here? What kid isn't going to think about the makeup right away in this scenario?

[CosmicBills]

So the article says that they were assigned their historical figure. So doesn't the teacher have to take some of the blame here? What kid isn't going to think about the makeup right away in this scenario?

There's a lot of blame to go around. But 99% of it falls on the parents who not only let their kid do it, but then made it a media event, which is why KD's statement above is so absurd.

[KD in CA]

There's a lot of blame to go around. But 99% of it falls on the parents who not only let their kid do it, but then made it a media event, which is why KD's statement above is so absurd.

 

Too bad the professional victims like you can't recognize your own hypocrisy. If you are so gung ho on a color-blind society, it shouldn't be offensive no matter what color anyone paints their face.

 

Making a huge deal -- and now presumably a national story -- out of some meaningless 2d grade class project does far more harm than good to race relations in this country. But I guess we don't want to rob your ilk of another chance to go around assigning blame.

 

The same thing should have been done here by the parent. Instead of calling the news to tattle on their precious angel's feelings getting hurt.

Or what should have been done here is for someone to privately say something to the parents AFTER the class. Once you've made a specatcle out of the situation by pulling the kid out of the program, the rest of the hoopla was bound to follow.

[The Poojer]

i am really not sure that my kids in second grade would have (A)thought of make-up right away, (B)Known who MLK was, and if they did ©known that he was black....

 

So the article says that they were assigned their historical figure. So doesn't the teacher have to take some of the blame here? What kid isn't going to think about the makeup right away in this scenario?

 

i am going to assume that you, treg and myself(i know about myself) are not black. I don't feel i have the right to ignore things that have been considered historically offensive to a group of people and claim to be color blind like that. That is something that has to be resolved by the 'offended' group of people and even then i will refuse to go 'black face'. That's not my battle to fight, and personally I do find it offensive to go in 'black face'. I am not stating this as fact because i don't know, i can only assume, but i would imagine 'black face' was first utilized to incorporate black characters into theatrical productions where black actors weren't welcomed to participate in. if this makes me a professional victim...so be it...i can live with myself...

 

Too bad the professional victims like you can't recognize your own hypocrisy. If you are so gung ho on a color-blind society, it shouldn't be offensive no matter what color anyone paints their face.

[CosmicBills]

Too bad the professional victims like you can't recognize your own hypocrisy. If you are so gung ho on a color-blind society, it shouldn't be offensive no matter what color anyone paints their face.

 

Making a huge deal -- and now presumably a national story -- out of some meaningless 2d grade class project does far more harm than good to race relations in this country. But I guess we don't want to rob your ilk of another chance to go around assigning blame.

 

I never claimed to be a victim. But don't let facts stand in your way. The point if you bothered to actually use that melon on top your shoulders is that the parents of the kid, not the school, made this a story by going to the press. They're the ones who made this national news, not the PC police. They let their kid go out in blackface and then, when people got offended, rather than trying to understand why people got offended they waited for the news cameras to show up.

 

But yes, you're right, it's the school's fault.

[DC Tom]

It's confounded by the fact the kid was portraying MLK. A white kid dressing as MLK in blackface, unknowingly or not, is the opposite of the message MLK preached. It would have been a more profound statement for him to wear the suit and tie and mustache but forgo the blackface since MLK's message was one of color blindness. Putting on blackface defines MLK as a black man rather than a human being which was his central message.

 

Again, not the kid's fault. It's the parents. Personally I would have handled the situation differently as I don't think the kid (or the parents) meant any harm ... but it's not an excuse.

 

I get your point, but I'm not sure I'm agreeing with it. I'm thinking that MLK would probably, rather than have been offended, looked at it as more in the spirit of inclusion that a white boy could portray a black man as a hero (even if it was his parents' idea). And I'm recalling reading that the black community generally loved Robert Downey's performance in "Tropic Thunder".

 

Really, it just strikes me as vaguely patronizing to even imply that the black community can't handle any white man in blackface, no matter what the context.

[CosmicBills]

I get your point, but I'm not sure I'm agreeing with it. I'm thinking that MLK would probably, rather than have been offended, looked at it as more in the spirit of inclusion that a white boy could portray a black man as a hero (even if it was his parents' idea). And I'm recalling reading that the black community generally loved Robert Downey's performance in "Tropic Thunder".

 

Really, it just strikes me as vaguely patronizing to even imply that the black community can't handle any white man in blackface, no matter what the context.

 

I'm not trying to say that the black community can't handle it and certainly am not attempting to be patronizing. But I disagree that MLK wouldn't find a problem with it. The legacy of Blackface runs counter to everything that MLK stood for and died for. While I do agree with you that he wouldn't have raised a big hub-bub about it with the press, I strongly believe that had he been a parent in that classroom, he would have taken the time to talk to the boy and his parents and explain to them why blackface is offensive. He was a minister first and foremost.

 

In RDJ's case, his character in Tropic Thunder was clearly a send up about how crazy method actors are AND how few leading men are black in Hollywood even today. It wasn't done out of hate or mocking, it was done for the sake of satire. This kid's presentation wasn't done out of hate or mocking either, in fact I'd be willing to bet neither he nor his parents were aware of, or understood, the shameful history of blackface in America. So much so that rather than trying to understand how their actions could be deemed offensive, the parents shoved a news camera in their son's face and cried foul.

 

And that's the problem to me.

 

It's one thing to be unaware that your actions could be construed as offensive and recognize your mistake and remedy it. But instead of taking the moment as an opportunity to teach their child (and themselves) about the issue, they seemed to have ran to the media to raise hell over other people being too sensitive about an issue they are absolutely unable to sympathize with.

 

Look at the title of this thread ... it says it all. The PC police didn't call the news -- the parents did. Which, to me, sends up a lot of smoke signals about the parent's true intent. They put their kid in the spotlight and I can't hold the kid responsible, but I darn well can throw the parents under the bus because they should know better.

[KD in CA]

I never claimed to be a victim. But don't let facts stand in your way. The point if you bothered to actually use that melon on top your shoulders is that the parents of the kid, not the school, made this a story by going to the press. They're the ones who made this national news, not the PC police. They let their kid go out in blackface and then, when people got offended, rather than trying to understand why people got offended they waited for the news cameras to show up.

 

But yes, you're right, it's the school's fault.

Actually the press came to them, but don't let facts stand in your way. And "people" sounds like one thin-skinned teacher; the parent group thought it was a ridiculous decision.

 

 

I'm not trying to say that the black community can't handle it and certainly am not attempting to be patronizing. But I disagree that MLK wouldn't find a problem with it. The legacy of Blackface runs counter to everything that MLK stood for and died for. While I do agree with you that he wouldn't have raised a big hub-bub about it with the press, I strongly believe that had he been a parent in that classroom, he would have taken the time to talk to the boy and his parents and explain to them why blackface is offensive. He was a minister first and foremost.

 

In RDJ's case, his character in Tropic Thunder was clearly a send up about how crazy method actors are AND how few leading men are black in Hollywood even today. It wasn't done out of hate or mocking, it was done for the sake of satire. This kid's presentation wasn't done out of hate or mocking either, in fact I'd be willing to bet neither he nor his parents were aware of, or understood, the shameful history of blackface in America. So much so that rather than trying to understand how their actions could be deemed offensive, the parents shoved a news camera in their son's face and cried foul.

 

And that's the problem to me.

 

It's one thing to be unaware that your actions could be construed as offensive and recognize your mistake and remedy it. But instead of taking the moment as an opportunity to teach their child (and themselves) about the issue, they seemed to have ran to the media to raise hell over other people being too sensitive about an issue they are absolutely unable to sympathize with.

Gee, how could the parents not have immediately issued a mea culpa while their child was in tears and being ordered to wash his face after being shamed in front of his classmates. For someone who displays such amazing sensitivity to perceived slights based on practices that haven't been seen in 50 years, you don't appear to have much of a clue about how normal people are going to react to a situation. Again, if the school people had chosen to conduct their own teachable moment in private, the entire affair could have been avoided. The fact that you place no blame at all on their handling of the situation is laughable.

 

But at least they taught a 7 year old white kid to never attempt to pay homage to a black man again. Great job.

[CosmicBills]

First of all ...

 

Gee, how could the parents not have immediately issued a mea culpa while their child was in tears and being ordered to wash his face after being shamed in front of his classmates. For someone who displays such amazing sensitivity to perceived slights based on practices that haven't been seen in 50 years, you don't appear to have much of a clue about how normal people are going to react to a situation. Again, if the school people had chosen to conduct their own teachable moment in private, the entire affair could have been avoided. The fact that you place no blame at all on their handling of the situation is laughable.

 

But at least they taught a 7 year old white kid to never attempt to pay homage to a black man again. Great job.

 

I completely misunderstood the sequence of events. My understanding was that the kid and his parents were brought to the principal's office and told to wash his face. I was completely unaware that they were singled out in front of the other students and teachers. That would piss me off as a parent to no end, without question and it totally changes my opinion on the matter.

 

That's what I get for posting and drinking.

 

My apologies.

[IndyMark]

Actually the press came to them, but don't let facts stand in your way. And "people" sounds like one thin-skinned teacher; the parent group thought it was a ridiculous decision.

 

 

 

Gee, how could the parents not have immediately issued a mea culpa while their child was in tears and being ordered to wash his face after being shamed in front of his classmates. For someone who displays such amazing sensitivity to perceived slights based on practices that haven't been seen in 50 years, you don't appear to have much of a clue about how normal people are going to react to a situation. Again, if the school people had chosen to conduct their own teachable moment in private, the entire affair could have been avoided. The fact that you place no blame at all on their handling of the situation is laughable.

 

But at least they taught a 7 year old white kid to never attempt to pay homage to a black man again. Great job.

 

 

Lots of blame to go around.......first, unequivocally, a stupid move to let a kid go to school in blackface. Cannot argue that....collosally dumb, short sighted and pathetic - poor parenting on several levels. Similarly, calling the child out in front of classmates equally stupid.

 

This is a prime example of one poor decision following another. There is no PC-element to this.....no fragile egos, beyond those thinking that the child or parents have no blame and it is all on the school.....sorry, lots of blame to go around and there is no good defense for any of the actions.

[Jim in Anchorage]

Lots of blame to go around.......first, unequivocally, a stupid move to let a kid go to school in blackface. Cannot argue that....collosally dumb, short sighted and pathetic - poor parenting on several levels. Similarly, calling the child out in front of classmates equally stupid.

 

This is a prime example of one poor decision following another. There is no PC-element to this.....no fragile egos, beyond those thinking that the child or parents have no blame and it is all on the school.....sorry, lots of blame to go around and there is no good defense for any of the actions.

I wonder what the outrage would be if a black child thought his hero was George Washington and he put on make up to look like him? Big fat zero,I think.

[IndyMark]

I wonder what the outrage would be if a black child thought his hero was George Washington and he put on make up to look like him? Big fat zero,I think.

 

 

I am not confident of that. And really, if this is the typical 'us' versus 'them' type thought we, as a society, really need to either grow up or re-take a few history courses.

 

The fact the child had a poster with a picture of MLK as part of his wax museum makes most evident that the face paint was not needed. I try to be balanced by articulating a lot of blame....but it can be easily argued the parents (and child) really fumbled the ball.

 

I am a bit disturbed by their quick 'My child is a victim' mentality.........again, another example of self-victimization....ironic on several levels.

[Fezmid]

I still don't understand why blackface is so offensive. First of all, it came from the 1800s... Can't we move past some things? Should I be offended because of Super Mario Brothers? Or any other Italian stereotype that doesn't paint Italians in a positive light?

 

Second, from reading about the background (I knew next to nothing about it - didn't even know people were offended by it!), it appears that it's not really the blackface that was offensive back in the day, it was the portrayal of black people as being stupid and buffoons. That's not what happened here - so shouldn't people be offended by what a person is doing, not by what they're wearing? Reading page after page of people being "outraged" at others painting their face black for Halloween (or for a school project) just seems stupid if it's clearly not malicious and not being done in the same vein as the minstrel shows.

[IndyMark]

I still don't understand why blackface is so offensive. First of all, it came from the 1800s... Can't we move past some things? Should I be offended because of Super Mario Brothers? Or any other Italian stereotype that doesn't paint Italians in a positive light?

 

Second, from reading about the background (I knew next to nothing about it - didn't even know people were offended by it!), it appears that it's not really the blackface that was offensive back in the day, it was the portrayal of black people as being stupid and buffoons. That's not what happened here - so shouldn't people be offended by what a person is doing, not by what they're wearing? Reading page after page of people being "outraged" at others painting their face black for Halloween (or for a school project) just seems stupid if it's clearly not malicious and not being done in the same vein as the minstrel shows.

 

 

Agree 100% with the bold statement........also, I am glad you acknowledge you gained a new perspective by doing a bit of back reading on blackface. That was sort of my point earlier; just because something is intuitive does not, in fact, make it right. My issue is that some people think that if it makes sense to them and they think it is ok, then that means it is ok or, worse yet, they are right in their thinking. We need a bit more critical thinking, reflection, and research in our everyday lives to base decisions on. Again, with this case, the slightest of critical thinking indicates the child had a biography with a picture, he was holding, for the wax museum....thus, the blackface was not needed. At best, painting his face black is simply goofy.....and that is at best.

 

Really, it would have been nice if the parents would have actually, well, parented the child in this case....but nope, they go to the default 'my child is the victim' mindset that is so pervasive and that so many (on this board) vilify. Ignorance does not serve this situation particularly well; poor kid.

Edited May 18, 2012 by IndyMark

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I still don't understand why blackface is so offensive. First of all, it came from the 1800s... Can't we move past some things? Should I be offended because of Super Mario Brothers? Or any other Italian stereotype that doesn't paint Italians in a positive light?

 

Second, from reading about the background (I knew next to nothing about it - didn't even know people were offended by it!), it appears that it's not really the blackface that was offensive back in the day, it was the portrayal of black people as being stupid and buffoons. That's not what happened here - so shouldn't people be offended by what a person is doing, not by what they're wearing? Reading page after page of people being "outraged" at others painting their face black for Halloween (or for a school project) just seems stupid if it's clearly not malicious and not being done in the same vein as the minstrel shows.

 

I think you've captured the gist of the problem here...we're overly concerned with what things represent symbolically, as opposed to what they actually mean in context.

[The Poojer]

slavery is from the 1800's as well, why can't we get over that already...my guess as i stated above is that black face is a result of theatrical productions that had 'black characters' but blacks were not welcome to be a part of the production, nor the audience...i guess a bit of a stretch is telling jewish people to get over the swastika already....just my 2 cents...either way, because its offensive to someone, i won't partake in the activity...

 

I still don't understand why blackface is so offensive. First of all, it came from the 1800s... Can't we move past some things? Should I be offended because of Super Mario Brothers? Or any other Italian stereotype that doesn't paint Italians in a positive light?

 

Second, from reading about the background (I knew next to nothing about it - didn't even know people were offended by it!), it appears that it's not really the blackface that was offensive back in the day, it was the portrayal of black people as being stupid and buffoons. That's not what happened here - so shouldn't people be offended by what a person is doing, not by what they're wearing? Reading page after page of people being "outraged" at others painting their face black for Halloween (or for a school project) just seems stupid if it's clearly not malicious and not being done in the same vein as the minstrel shows.

[Beerball]

I get your point, but I'm not sure I'm agreeing with it. I'm thinking that MLK would probably, rather than have been offended, looked at it as more in the spirit of inclusion that a white boy could portray a black man as a hero (even if it was his parents' idea). And I'm recalling reading that the black community generally loved Robert Downey's performance in "Tropic Thunder".

 

Really, it just strikes me as vaguely patronizing to even imply that the black community can't handle any white man in blackface, no matter what the context.

I agree with your assessment about what MLK would think of this, we'll never know of course, but I think that the issue here is the use of the term blackface. I can see why someone would take exception to someone performing in blackface. It was used to portray stereotypical views of the black race.

 

That isn't what this kid or his parents had in mind (IMO). He wanted to portray MLK to the best of his ability and that included (to him or his parents, I don't care either way) the use of makeup.

 

Toss out that one word that keeps getting thrown around and view the context. There was IMO nothing wrong with what this boy (or his parents) had in mind.

 

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.